A DAY AFTER their team`s winning streak was snapped by the Denver Nuggets, Amen Thompson stood before his Houston Rockets teammates. It was his turn to share his life story in the team`s bonding exercise, and like others, he went over the allotted five minutes.
Amen recounted his upbringing in the Oakland, California, area alongside his identical twin brother, Ausar. He described a supportive family environment where competitiveness was nurtured. Their parents played a crucial role, especially their father, Troy Thompson, who pushed them. This intensity was clear to Houston coach Ime Udoka, who noted the twins` background explained their competitive nature.
Amen and Ausar, now 22, hold a unique place in league history as the first twins drafted in the top five. Amen was selected fourth by Houston, and Ausar followed at fifth by the Detroit Pistons. Both brothers are now in their second NBA seasons, emerging as foundational players for their respective franchises, which are currently experiencing playoff pushes.
While Amen admitted he “wasn`t expecting it” this soon, Ausar “always believed” they would be serious playoff contenders in 2025. Ausar playfully recalled Amen teasing him last year about their teams` records but noted that now both teams made the playoffs the same year, leaving only the record difference to debate. Ausar promised that difference wouldn`t exist next season.
At the time of the article, Amen`s Rockets were down 0-1 in their series, while Ausar`s Pistons had recently ended a long postseason losing streak and were looking to take a 2-1 lead. Amen, focusing on the present but no longer doubting Ausar`s future predictions, envisioned a scenario where both teams thrive in the 2025 playoffs. “I want to see him in the Finals,” Amen said, adding, “That would be fire. But just one of us wins. I know who that`s going to be.”
Predictably, Ausar disagreed, stating, “Man, we would whoop `em. This year, when we played, when we had all of our players, we beat them.”
THE NIGHT the Rockets secured their playoff spot, Amen reflected on his family`s vision board. Their mother, Maya Wilson, steered them away from football, so by age 7, their father, Troy, was putting them through basketball drills originally designed for their older brother, Troy Jr., whom the twins consider their “blueprint.”
This daily regimen fueled the twins` shared dream. Their middle name, XLNC (pronounced `excellency`), reflects their family`s values. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff praised the family for instilling the importance of team over individual and the need for holistic development.
The vision board, created when they were 9, was titled `Amen & Ausar`s 6`9` Dreams,` adorned with graffiti and a drawing of a Nike shoe. Starred goals included:
- Become The Greatest NBA Player of All-Time
- Become a Multi-Billionaire
- Get a shoe company
- Become 6 ft. 9 inch[es]
Amen explained that writing down their goals and affirmations provided a guideline for achieving them. Below the goals was a 10-step daily routine signed by both twins. Amen admitted some tasks were “kind of crazy” and hard to do daily.
The to-do list included rigorous physical training like `run 2 miles dribbling left-handed,` `200 pushups, 200 sit-ups, 50 pull-ups, 500 calf raises,` and `squat while watching TV,` along with healthy eating and, finally, `hustle as hard as possible always.`
Troy wanted his sons to embody the relentless ferocity of Russell Westbrook. Friendly pickup games often escalated into fights, leading Troy to stop them from playing one-on-one. Amen admitted he would get mad when he lost, sometimes resulting in “spiritual walks” with their dad, including one infamous 14-mile hike. Ausar denied feeling guilty, noting Amen often started the altercations because he didn`t want to quit until he won.
Their competitiveness extended to high school at Pine Crest School in Florida, where they transferred before eighth grade. They played varsity from eighth grade onward, leading their team to a state championship by their junior year. An opportunity arose with Overtime Elite (OTE), a new professional league offering an alternative path to the NBA with 24/7 gym access, NBA-level coaching, and a minimum salary. They chose to skip their senior year for OTE.
Amen felt his game immediately improved at OTE, though he noted that during the predraft process, some questioned their readiness for the NBA because they had played against younger competition. He pushed back against this narrative, stating they had “played up [a level]” their whole lives and that they always sought the highest competition.
The 6-foot-7 twins, possessing nearly 7-foot wingspans, played two seasons with OTE. Their unconventional path culminated in the 2023 NBA draft, where Houston selected Amen at No. 4 and Detroit chose Ausar at No. 5. Both coaches, Udoka in Houston and Bickerstaff in Detroit, were thrilled to draft the twins, seeing them as versatile, athletic, competitive, and defensively impactful players who fit the modern NBA mold and the culture they wanted to build.
THE THOMPSON TWINS recently faced the Miami Heat in back-to-back games, both resulting in wins for the visiting twin`s team. Demonstrating their two-way versatility, both brothers significantly impacted the outcomes, particularly with their defense on Tyler Herro.
Amen`s performance against Miami was notable, especially after a previous matchup involved ejections and he was returning from injury. He recorded seven steals and a block, contributing to Houston scoring 24 points off Heat turnovers. Ausar also had success guarding Herro in their game.
Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone called film clips of the twins “incredible,” praising their growth, athleticism, and ability to guard multiple positions.
Amen`s development might appear slightly ahead due to Ausar missing significant time across two seasons with a blood clot issue. Ausar`s coach, Bickerstaff, noted a direct correlation between Ausar`s return and improved team pace and performance, highlighting his impact as a rebounder, passer, and “menace” on defense.
Udoka observed similar growth in Amen, who adapted from primarily a point guard role to playing power forward, learning screening and rolling skills. He also spent time in the dunker spot and returned to point guard when Fred VanVleet was injured. Udoka believes these varied experiences have “expanded his game,” allowing him to impact the game in multiple ways beyond transition play.
From late December through the end of the regular season, Amen and Ausar were the only two NBA players with at least 100 offensive rebounds and 125 combined steals and blocks. Their production per 36 minutes is similar.
| Amen | Ausar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pts | 15.7 | 16.1 |
| Reb | 9.1 | 8.2 |
| Ast | 4.3 | 3.6 |
| Stl | 1.6 | 2.7 |
| Blk | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| *Per 36 mins | ||
Sports analytics data ranks them high in jump height for layups/dunks and in defensive field goal percentage allowed. Ausar was fifth in defensive estimated plus-minus among defenders contesting over 400 shots, while Amen was sixth (and would be first if the threshold was 700 shots contested).
Ausar finished the regular season third in defensive estimated plus-minus (behind Alex Caruso and Kris Dunn), and Amen ranked fifth (behind Victor Wembanyama).
Ausar wants to become even more aggressive attacking the basket and exploring his mid-range game, focusing on leveraging his existing strengths.
Amen is one of only two players this season (the other being Jaren Jackson Jr.) to tally 80 steals and 80 blocks. He is the first Rocket since Hakeem Olajuwon (1998-99) to achieve this.
Despite their significant talent and basketball IQ, the Thompson twins acknowledge the need to improve their shooting to maximize their potential. Until then, they rely on their exceptional physical tools and focus on impacting games in any way possible. Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy praised them for leaning into their strengths rather than focusing solely on perceived weaknesses, calling it a crucial part of establishing their NBA identity.
Before their respective playoff games, the twins exchange a simple text: “Go kill.”
“I just want to see him do well, honestly,” Ausar said. He admitted he used to get nervous watching Amen`s games but now watches as entertainment, expecting him to perform “amazing.”
When one twin is playing, the other is often watching, able to sense what his brother is feeling on the court. It`s not a “sixth sense,” but rather a deep familiarity from a lifetime spent together. Amen explained that they sometimes even send each other the exact same TikTok video simultaneously. He concluded that their story is essentially one shared narrative.
